Pa. election directors call for reforms to 3rd-party registration drives

Pennsylvania election officials are calling for reform to voter registration drives.  WITF’s Jordan Wilkie reports some registration groups parachute in during presidential election years and cause headaches for elections offices and voters alike.

WITF Music: Samaritan Snare

An interview with Lancaster progressive band Samaritan Snare.

Rep. Smucker positions himself for powerful role as House Budget Committee chair

Congressman Lloyd Smucker is emerging as an early favorite to be elected the next leader of the influential House Budget Committee.

La Tasha Williams elected Dauphin County's first Black woman judge

On Jan. 5, La Tasha Williams will be sworn in as a Dauphin County judge, becoming the county's first Black woman on the bench. WITF's Karen Hendricks spoke with Williams about her election victory and why she believes voters are more aware of judicial races thanks to the current political landscap…

Shapiro to lead multi-state Chesapeake Bay group, amid waterway’s health dip

Chesapeake Bay officials elected Gov. Josh Shapiro to lead a regional agreement to help clean and restore the waterway. The first-term Democrat will take the reins at a tumultuous time for the forty-year-old partnership. 

Officials cheer, watchdogs fume over Pa. Supreme Court softening key public access law

Local government groups across Pennsylvania are celebrating a state Supreme Court ruling that makes it easier for agencies to change their meeting agendas on the fly. Some transparency advocates are sounding the alarm.

‘Crown Act’ bans hair-based discrimination in Pennsylvania

State officials and advocates packed into a Philadelphia hair salon on Tuesday to witness Gov. Josh Shapiro sign the Crown Act, a new law that bans discrimination based on a person’s hair texture and style.

Chicago priest walks across Pennsylvania during 800-mile protest against immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump

Catholic leaders are speaking out against immigration enforcement in President Donald Trump’s second term.  WITF’s Jordan Wilkie reports on one Chicago priest’s protest strategy — walking from Pope Leo’s childhood home in Illinois and through Pennsylvania on his way to Ellis Island in New York.

Protesters take to Pa. Capitol, call for ban on gifts to lawmakers

Protesters want Pennsylvania legislators to vote to bar themselves from receiving unlimited gifts or campaign contributions. WITF’s Jordan Wilkie reports on how protesters blocked off sections of the state legislature on Monday to call attention to some of the most lax legislative ethics laws in t…

Lawmaker departures won’t upend Pa. House control, but budget gridlock persists

Four members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives are preparing to leave their seats after winning local races. Their exits won’t shake up the balance of power in Harrisburg — but they come as the state budget impasse drags on.